"Photosynthesis is a biological process used by many cellular organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy, which is stored in organic compounds..."
The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose and other organic compounds.
Chloroplast Structure and Organization: This topic teaches about the structure and organization of chloroplasts, the organelles responsible for photosynthesis in plants.
Light Absorption and Pigments: This topic covers the absorption of light by pigments in chloroplasts, including chlorophyll, carotenoids, and phycobilins.
Photosynthetic Pathways: This topic covers the different pathways of photosynthesis, including C3, C4, and CAM photosynthesis.
Photosystems: This topic explains the two photosystems involved in photosynthesis, including their structure and function.
Electron Transport Chain: This topic covers the electron transport chain, which is responsible for producing ATP and NADPH during photosynthesis.
Calvin Cycle: This topic covers the biochemical pathway responsible for fixing carbon dioxide and producing sugars in photosynthesis.
Factors Affecting Photosynthesis: This topic explores the different factors that can affect the rate of photosynthesis, such as light intensity, temperature, and carbon dioxide concentration.
Photorespiration: This topic covers the process of photorespiration and its role in limiting the efficiency of photosynthesis.
Alternative Pathways: This topic covers the various alternative pathways that can occur during photosynthesis, including the Mehler reaction and the chloroplast NADH dehydrogenase complex.
Photosynthesis in Eukaryotic Algae: This topic covers the process of photosynthesis in eukaryotic algae, including the similarities and differences with plant photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis in Bacteria: This topic covers the process of photosynthesis in bacteria, including the different types of photosynthetic bacteria and their unique mechanisms.
Photoautotrophy vs. Heterotrophy: This topic covers the difference between photoautotrophs and heterotrophs, including their source of energy and carbon.
Importance of Photosynthesis: This topic explains the importance of photosynthesis in sustaining life on Earth, including its role in producing oxygen and regulating the carbon cycle.
C3 Photosynthesis: In C3 photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is fixed into a three-carbon compound during the process of light-independent reactions, and most plants use C3 photosynthesis. This is the simplest and most common type of photosynthesis, and it occurs when plants use the enzyme RuBP carboxylase to fix CO2 into a three-carbon molecule.
C4 Photosynthesis: In C4 photosynthesis, plants have a specialized carbon fixation pathway in which CO2 is first fixed into a four-carbon compound, which then undergoes a series of chemical reactions to produce useful energy. This type of photosynthesis is more efficient than C3 photosynthesis, and it occurs in plants that are adapted to hot and arid environments.
Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM): CAM photosynthesis is another type of photosynthesis that is used by some plants to overcome water stress. In this type, CO2 is fixed into a four-carbon compound during the night, which is then stored in vacuoles until morning when it is transferred to chloroplasts for photosynthesis.
Light-Independent Photosynthesis by Proteobacteria: Unlike plants, some bacteria can carry out photoautotrophic growth through a light-independent photosynthesis that uses a reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle. In this process, CO2 is fixed into acetyl-CoA during dark conditions and consumed during the day through the oxidative TCA cycle.